Decorating gets judged on the last coat and decided by the first hour. Almost everything that goes wrong on a painted wall was set up before any paint came out of the tin: filler that was not sanded, caulk that was not run, a wall that was not washed down, or new plaster that was sealed before it had finished drying.
Doing it on the back of our own plastering means the two halves are not arguing with each other. The person who knows the wall is still dark in one corner is the person deciding when it gets misted, which is the single commonest reason new paint peels off new plaster.
New plaster, and the mist coat
Fresh plaster is porous and full of water. It has to be an even pale colour right across, with no dark patches anywhere including the corners and behind the radiator, before anything goes on it. That is days in summer and can be a fortnight in a cold back room.
Then the first coat is a mist coat: emulsion thinned with water so it soaks in and keys instead of sitting on the surface. Full strength paint straight onto new plaster forms a skin that the plaster cannot hold, and it peels off in sheets later, usually taking a layer of plaster with it. After the mist coat it is two normal coats like any other wall.
On an existing room the prep is the job. Walls get washed down, because paint does not stick to the greasy band above a radiator or the marks behind a sofa. Holes and dents are filled, allowed to dry properly and sanded back flush rather than left proud and painted over.
Then everything that meets something else gets caulked: the top of the skirting, the edges of the architrave, the line where the wall meets the coving. Those thin dark lines are what make a repaint look like a repaint, and a caulking gun and twenty minutes is the whole of the fix.
Skirting, architrave, doors and window boards get sanded to a key, any bare timber gets a primer, and knots get sealed or they will come through the top coat in a year. Old gloss that has gone yellow and brittle is sanded flat rather than painted over, because a new coat over a failing one fails with it.
Cutting in is done by hand rather than by tape, because tape on a textured wall bleeds underneath and a straight line beats a taped one that has run. Where the ceiling and the wall are different colours, that line is the one thing anyone actually looks at.
Floors get sheeted and taped down rather than a dust sheet thrown over the middle of the room. Furniture goes to the centre and gets covered. Sockets and switches come off rather than being painted around, which is the difference between a clean edge and a ragged one.
At the end of each day the room is cleared down, tins are closed and the sheets stay put. At the end of the job the sockets go back on, the tape comes up, and whatever is left over is labelled and left with you so a touch up in six months is the same tin rather than a guess at the colour.
“Good honest business, we called SMB after we had a bad experience with previous contractors. ... The work is immaculate (we had our house skimmed), the detail, care and attention is spot on.”
“Frank and Steve did a fantastic job on my hallway! Really professional team and their work is seamless. I was really impressed, and they even fixed my skirting board and put it back on for me, a very appreciated extra! Would highly recommend.”
“They did a great job. I had an awkward hallway area and a large ceiling to skim. I thought they'd finished earlier in the day as it looked great to me then, but they went over the whole area to make sure that the finish was perfect.”
“Excellent work! Scott plastered our living room including some tricky details around fireplace and bay window. Great finish looks really good, all the work was tidy and well communicated all done on time. Would highly recommend.”
“Frank completed a wall for me that needed plastering, he was on time, very polite and nothing seemed an issue. ... Although only a small job, kept my house tidy, even outside the house, cleaned up after he finished and done a perfect job, highly recommended from myself.”
“Hi, Had the team in plastering for a week. What a joy. There were no problems they turned up on time everyday and very polite. Would recommend them to anyone. Thanks very much guys.”
“I don't often leave reviews, but Frank was so helpful and pleasant to work with that he deserves 5 stars. Very responsive and professional. He did a great job and left our place clean and tidy. Thanks again Frank!”
“Frank very kindly stopped by to plaster a chipped wall. Perfectly done and really helpful and kind guy. 100% calling if I ever need any more plastering done!”
“Although we didn't require any work, Frank was extremely helpful and knowledgable on his visit to inspect our issue. He was prompt and on time and responded quickly.”
“Very, very happy with Franks work finishing off kitchen walls after having been let down by a builder. It was a tricky job as the granite worktops ect had already been installed but I couldn't be happier with the result.”
“Really happy with the work. Great finish and very professional. Turned up on time, kept things tidy, and did a top-quality job. Would definitely recommend.”
“very pleasant experience in communication and the level of service provided. tradesman was very polite. He came around for a diagnosis before outlining the job in details with cost and what needs doing.”
“Just had Scott round, Arrived on time started straight away and just got on with the job. Pleasant at all times clean & tidy worker will definitely use again. Work looks good and he stuck to his price. Thanks Scott was was good to meet you.”
“Very professional, was very clear on what exactly will be done. Agreed a price and kept me update all the way through. Happy with the work completed and after care as well. Very helpful and highly recommended.”
“Scott called me before booking a date to come and do work. He reasured me about somethings i was worried about. He come in time he said he would and helped me with another job as well. Very helpful and happy with service”
“Great job by Scott plastering the small room, he managed to sort out the uneven ceiling and walls. Will be using Scott again to sort out a couple of other rooms.”
Painting and decorating: frequently asked questions
Can you paint straight onto new plaster?
Not with full strength paint. It needs a thinned mist coat first so it soaks in and keys. Full strength emulsion on new plaster forms a skin that peels off later, usually in sheets.
How long does new plaster need to dry first?
Until it is one even pale colour with no dark patches, including in the corners and behind radiators. A few days in a warm ventilated room, up to a couple of weeks in a cold one.
Do you do the woodwork as well?
Yes. Skirting, architrave, doors and window boards, sanded to a key and with the knots sealed. Old brittle gloss gets sanded flat rather than painted over.
Will you supply the paint?
Either way. Most people pick the colours and we get the paint, but if you have already bought it that is fine. Whatever is left over is labelled and left with you for touch ups.
